Hands On with the Apple Watch

8.04am. That’s when the confirmation email came in from the Apple Store, regarding my order for an Apple Watch. The product that was announced last September and then the details filled out earlier this year and went on sale on Friday morning.

All of that lead to the point where I’d already decided that I was going to buy an Apple Watch, but had’t decided which one. That’s the power of a properly orchestrated product launch.

With my order placed and what seems like the rest of the world’s being ordered too, there was only one course of action, do like all the other Apple fans and head down to my closest store and get some hands on time with a product I’ve already bought.

Heading down to the Apple store, you’re greeted by the new display table. The Apple watches are separated in to their two sizes and then divided in to sections, Sport, Watch and Edition. There’s a number of strap options with the standard Watch on display.

After peering deeply in to the table, a member of Apple staff asks if I’d like to try one on. Well, after the obvious answer was given, I registered and was swiftly taken over to the trying on table. The demo tables are like all Apple tables with a couple of differences. Firstly, the tables are separated in to try-on areas with leather mats and next to them, demo machines, that are to the best of the internet’s information, are heavily modified Mac Minis with working Apple Watches built in.

The other big difference, is the RIDF locked draws that contain all the demo watches. The mobile payment terminals that the Apple staff have are used to unlock the draws after entering a security code. In the draws are between 10 and 15 sample watches, all changing wirelessly.

The Apple employee then takes out the watches you’re looking to try on and puts them on the leather mat. This is where the new Apple training kicks in. They ask which one you’d like to try first and if you’d find if they put the watch on you. As they do, they explain the strap and how it closes.

When the Watch is on, they explain that these one only have a demo loop on them and you activate it by double pressing the side button. The demo loop has included in it, points where the haptic feedback engine kicks in.

When you want to play with the actual interface, the demo unit is were to go. When using the demo watch unit you really get a feel to how powerful this device really is. I’ll get more in to that and how the Apple Watch works and using it when my actual test unit arrives.

Right now, though, the key take away from this article and hands on session, is to simply say, if you want to see what the future of wareables is go to an Apple Store or book online to try one on, You won’t regret it.